Hameless horse-collar.



PATENTED JULY 11, 1905.

C. P. RANDOLPH. HAMBLESS HORSE COLLAR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6. 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED JULY 11, 1905.

C. P. RANDOLPH.

HAD/[BLESS HORSE COLLAR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6. 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

117 We 71 for U/mearw P/vce Edna/050k PATENTED JULY 1 G. P. RANDOLPH.

HAMELESS HORSE COLLAR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6. 1903.

3 SHEETQ$HEBT 3.

fl I u illll Patented July 11, 1905.

PATENT ()FFICE.

CLABEORN P. RANDOLPH, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

HAMELESS HORSE-COLLAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,311, dated. July11, 1905.

Application filed July 6,1903. Serial No. 164,322.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLABEORNP. RANDOLPH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Hameless Horse-Collar, ofwhich the following is a specification.

An object of this invention is to provide a horse-collar which can beused on horses differing greatly in size, so that it will not benecessary for liverymen. teamsters. farmers, &c., to possess a separatecollar for each one of their horses. but can use the same collar on anyone of a number of horses. I attain this desirable end by providing animproved collar having a wide and accurate range of adjustment, wherebythe collar. can be fitted to horses differing greatly in size and inform of neck and shoulders.

Another object is to provide a collar in which the body-engaging surfacecan be varied to conform to any peculiarities in the form of the neckand shoulders of the horse, so as to make allowances for sweenys orother malformations.

Another object is to provide a collar in which the body-engaging surfacemay be deeply indented to such an extent and at such places as may benecessary in order to relieve the pressure of the collar from a sore orany kind of a protuberance.

Another object is to provide means whereby the weight of the collar maybe sustained in such a way as not to make a sore in front of the withersor to relieve the pressure from such a sore if it is already formed.

Another object is to provide means whereby the collar may be quickly andeasily put in place and yet securely fastened to the horse. This featuresaves much time in harnessing and unharnessing and makes the inventionspecially valuable to livermen and others who have to harness andunharness large numbers of horses in limited time.

A further object is to provide a pneumatic collar in which theair-receiving compartments are so constructed that when they begin towear out and will no longer hold air they may be readily opened andsupplied with some other suitable filling that will not leak out througha small aperture.

Another object is to provide a collar which will not allow the tugs torub against the side of the horse.

Collars now in general use are apt to become worn and drawn out of shapeby continuous use under the strain put upon them back of the points atwhich the tugs are attached. In my novel hameless collar a firm outershell holds the tug out from the bod y, so that long use will not causeit to rub upon and thereby irritate the sides of the horse.

Another object is to provide a collar-frame such that any desired shapeof top or neck pad may be attached.

With these and other objects in view this invention consists of thevarious constructions and combinations of parts described in thefollowing specification and definitely pointed out in the claims at theclose thereof.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure I is a side view of my improved collar shown in position for useon a horse and furnished with a portion of the attachments which areprovided to be used therewith.

Fig. II is a perspective view of the device for fastening together theupper extremities of the limbs of the collar. Fig. III is a sideelevation of the outside of one limb of the collar. Fig. IV is afragmental side View showing a form of attachment adapted to be usedwith leather traces. Fig. V is an elevation of the reverse side of Fig.III. Fig. V1 is a crosssection on line VI VI of Fig. V. Fig. VII is afragmental detail of the inner side of.the collar, showing a portion ofits interior construction. Fig. VIII is a fragmental view showing themethod of attaching the elements of the collar together. Fig. IX is aview of the part shown in Fig. V, showing a modified form of the meansfor varying the form of the body-engaging surface of the collar. Fig. Xis a cross-section of Fig. IX on line X X of Fig. IX. Fig. XI is afragmental longitudinal section on line XI XI of Fig. IX, showing themanner in which the pressure may be relieved from the sore on theshoulder of the horse. Fig. XII is a top plan View of the device forsupporting the weight of the collar, so as to remove the pressure fromthe part of the neck underneath the upper portion of the collar. Fig.XIII is a sectional View of a different form of top pad and connectingmember. Fig. XIV is a side view of the device shown in Fig. XII,including the means for attaching said device to the collar. Fig. XV isa cross-section on line XV XV of Fig. XIV. Fig. XVI is a fragmentalsectional detail showing the means for attaching together the lower endsof the limbs to the collar. Fig. XVII is a perspective view showing amodiiication'of the device for relieving the pressure of the collar uponthe top of the neck in case of a sore forming in front of the withers.

The collar comprises, in general, two limb members with means forconnecting them at their upper and lower ends. The connecting means atthe upper end desirably consist of a removable pad member which may bead- 'justable in width, and the connection at the lower end isdetachable, so that the collar may be put on without disturbing theupper connection.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the two limbs of the collar haveouter shells 1, which may be of any suitable metal, such as aluminium,and perform the double function of hames and supporting-frames for thebodyengaging portions about to be described. Said shells 1 are concaveon their inner sides and are preferably provided with flanged edges 3,having a series of perforations 35. Said body-engaging portion of thecollar may be composed of a series of pneumatic pads 6.

Said pads are each composed of an inner rubber'lining 7 surrounded by acanvas covering 8 and together furnished with a leather facing 9, whichpreferably extends as a continuous strip across the inner side of thewhole series of pads on each limb of the collar. The canvas covering isfastened by lacings 34, which pass through perforations 35 in flanges 3and also serve to fasten the leather facing aforesaid, onto the flangesof the shells, as best shown in Figs. VI and VII. It will be seen thatthe canvas forms a sack incasing each rubber pad. Both edges of eachside of the sack may be fastened to flanges 3, so that when unlaced anysuitable filling may be readily inserted. Each of these pad-sacks has avalved duct 36 extending through the metal limb or shell 1, throughwhich air may be forced into or allowed to escape from the pad. Thus allof the pads may be filled out to the full capacity, so as to give aneven bearing throughout. In case, however, of a sore spot on the horseor a protuberance that might receive undue pressure the pad that comesopposite such sore spot or protuberance may be only partially inflatedor not inflated at all, thus relieving the sore spot or protuberancepartially or entirely from pressure. In case of an escape of air fromany of the pads, as by a puncture, the corresponding canvas sack may beunlaced and filled by any available stuffing material to give the properbearing. 6

Fig. IX shows a modification of the bodyengaging portion of the collar,in which said portion is formed asone continuous pneumatic pad, and thesupporting-shell is provided with a series of lacing-holes or attachingmeans 35 for ligatures or bands 10, adapted to extend across differentportions of the pad, as shown in said Fig. IX. In using this last formof pad when itis desired to remove the pressure of the collar from asore on the shoulder of thehorse the pad is first deflated and a band 10is adjusted to come opposite to the sore or other spot from which it isdesired to relieve pressure and is drawn taut from side to side betweenthe flanges 3 across the concave side of the shell 1. is inflated andwill assume a position with relation to the spot on the animal fromwhich pressure is to be relieved. (Best shown in Fig. XI.)

The manner of securing together the upper extremities of the limbs orshells 1 is best shown in Fig. II. Each limb is provided at its upperextremity with a pair of flanges 11, each flange having perforations 12.13 in a general way designates an upper connecting member provided withhinged parts or arms 14:, furnished with flanges 15, having perforations16. Flanges 15 embrace flanges 11, and the perforations 16 are adaptedto register with perforations 12, so that the parts may be adjustablysecured together by means of the bar 17. Such adjustment allows ofvariation in length of the collar. 19 designates a hinge whereby thearms 14 of the part 18 are pivoted together. 19 designates upturned earswith which one arm 14 is furnished. 20 designates corresponding earswith which the other arm is furnished. 21 designates perforationsthrough said ears arranged in a series at each end of the part 13. 22designates a rod for use in connection with the perforations 21, saidrod and perforations together constituting means whereby the arms 14:and the limbs 1 carried thereby may be adjusted at various angles withrelation to each other to adjust or vary the width of the upper end ofthe collar. 23 designates a collar-support comprising pads or webs 24,secured to bars 25, as best shown in Figs. I and XII, said bars havingperforations 26. 27 is a socketed part attached by rivets 28 "or othersuitable means to the upper part of the limbs 1, as best shown in Figs.I, XIV, and XV. A bolt 30 is adapted to be inserted through theperforations 26 and into socket 27, and a nut 31 engaging on said boltis adapted to bear on top of the bars 25 to support the collar from theweb-bearings 2 1. By adjusting this Then the pad nut 31 the height ofthe collar may be varied. This construction brings the weight of thecollar to bear forwardly and rearwardly of the collar. The principle ofextending the top of the collar laterally, so as to bring the weight tobear at any desired point, may be variously carried out. Thus in Fig.XVII the top member 13, adjustably connected to the side members 1, asabove described, has a lateral forward extension 48, that has a pad 49adjusted to rest on the horse forwardly of the collar. Such a bearing isdesirable in case of a sore at the top of the neck where the collarcomes.

The upper connecting member 13 is detachable from both of the sidelimbs, and for general purposes it will be sufficient to provide severalsuch members 13 of different widths and having pads 38, as shown in Fig.XIII, so as to bear directly on top of the horses neck. In this case theadjustable hinge connection 18 and the separable bearing-pad 24, &c.,would not be required. Provision for adjustment as to height would,however, still be made by perforated flanges 11.

The lower end of the collar-links is connected by a detachable orreleasable connectionfor example, spring clips or catches 39,

(see Fig. XVL) engaging 1n notches or hasps 40. This end of the collaris desirably extended in a somewhat pointed shape to prevent pressure onthe horses throat.

The traces may be attached to the collar by any suitable meansforexample, by a fastening-pin 41 engaging through a series of sockets 42,arranged in line on the shell 1, the end link 44 of the trace 43 beingplaced between two of these sockets 42 and the pin 41 then inserted.

2. In ahorse-collar, a pair of limbs, hinged members pivotally connectedtogether, adjustable fastening means connecting said hinged members toadjust the angle thereof, and means for vertically adjusting said limbswith respect to'said members.

3. In a horse-dollar, a limb provided at its upper extremity withflanges having perforations arranged in a series extendinglongitudinally of the limb, a support for said limb provided withflanges engaging with the firstnamed flanges having perforations adaptedto register with the first-named perforations, and a bar extendingthrough said perforations to adjustably secure said limb to saidsupport.

4. In a horse-collar, a pair of limbs, means for securing said limbstogether at their upper extremities, an apertured body-engaging supportadapted to fit over said means and extending beyond said means to engagethe neck of the horse, and vertically-adjustable attaching means forr'emovably securing said support to the limbs.

5. In a horse-collar, a pair of limbs, a socketed member carried by saidlimbs, a collarsupport comprising a frame having-perforated side pieces,a bolt adapted to enter said perforation and said socketed member, meanslimiting the entrance of the bolt into the socket, and an adjusting-nuton said bolt.

6. A horse-collar comprising side limbs, means for adjustably connectingsaid limbs at their upper ends, a top pad adjustably connected to theupper ends of said limbs and a detachable connection for the lower endsof said limbs.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, at Los Angeles, in the county ofLos Angeles and State of California, this 27th day of June, 1903.

CLABEORN P. RANDOLPH.

Witnesses:

ALBERT H. MERRILL, F. M. TOWNSEND.

